


preparations

by pekosan



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Backstage, M/M, Makeup, based on the romijuli event, i did this out of self-indulgment, is staring at your friend considered gay, is staring at your friend for more than a second gay?, or more like moments before it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-19
Updated: 2019-10-19
Packaged: 2020-12-23 20:07:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21087062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pekosan/pseuds/pekosan
Summary: Makoto watches as everyone does final preparations, and admires his friend's beauty.





	preparations

**Author's Note:**

> I decided to finish this fic I had started in January after recently reading live tweets of the romijuli event
> 
> iirc this was gonna be some hokumako but the inner hokumao me couldn't help but include that too but I also wanted a bit of maomako so now its a three way...but more of the hokumako side
> 
> I'm sorry I couldn't fit Subaru this time, maybe next time tho!
> 
> also I'm sorry my summaries suck ass

Final preparations.

From the corner of his eye, Hokuto could see Wataru thanking his helpers as he flounced roses upon roses onto them, in which he saw Shu simply brush them off with a sigh and Adonis looking confused. Makoto sheepishly laughed and sensing that someone was staring at him, turned and saw Hokuto.

Makoto walked towards him and waved, and at the same time brushed off the petals off his shoulder, “Wah...Hidaka-kun! You really do look pretty in that dress.”

To emphasise Makoto’s point, Hokuto stood up and did a small twirl and did a little curtsy.

“Thank you, Yuuki."

“I wonder where Hibiki-senpai manages to find all these props, especially these hair extensions...they look so real!” Makoto pointed at Hokuto’s extension; long and silky smooth, a very Hokuto thing if he were female. 

Seeing that Makoto wanted to touch it, Hokuto held a bit of the hair and offered it to Makoto, the latter carefully brushed through the extensions and he looked as if he stroked through an angel’s wings.

Makoto eventually puts the extension down and he looked down at his hands, grabbing the air as if he wanted to grasp the thing he let go just mere seconds ago, “These extensions really do feel real...I wonder if that’s what a girl’s hair feels like…”

Hokuto chuckled and folded his arms, “You can always ask Anzu to touch her hair.”

Makoto frantically waved his hands and shook his head, flushed, “W-w-what are you saying Hidaka-kun!? Anzu-chan would probably think I’m a weirdo if I asked her if I could touch her hair!”

“If you asked nicely, I'm sure Anzu wouldn't mind~"

Makoto lets out a small yelp, not expecting to hear a voice behind him. He turned around and Mao waved at him, he appeared to be holding a small box in his hands.

“I-Isara-kun! Don’t scare me like that!~” Makoto held onto an arm and shook Mao slightly.

“I’m sorry~ I didn’t mean to~”

After patting Makoto’s back, Mao waved at Hokuto and lifted the box for him to see, “Alright then, shall I start?”

Hokuto looked at the box, then at Mao, and back at the box before he tilted his head in confusion, “Ready...for what?”

Mao looked at Hokuto, and then at Makoto, “Didn’t you tell him Makoto?”

Makoto raised his eyebrows, “I thought you told him Isara-kun.”

“Tell me what?”

“Hibiki-senpai was looking for last-minute make-up artists to apply make-up on the actors,” Makoto then pointed at Izumi, who was currently chasing down Mitsuru with a brush in one hand and an eyeshadow palette in the other. He then suddenly falls down, having tripped over a wire. Mitsuru stops and checks on Izumi before the latter grabs his leg and says he won’t let go until Mitsuru lets him apply his make-up.

“Will Sena-senpai be alright..?” Hokuto looked at the scene with a concerned expression and Makoto reassured him that Izumi would be fine.

“Don’t worry, Hidaka-kun. Look, Izumi-san’s already back on his feet.”

Just like Makoto had said, Izumi now had Mitsuru seated in front of the mirror, the latter looking less than pleased. Tomoya’s standing to the left of Mitsuru, reassuring his friend that the foundation won’t melt his face off. Nazuna’s to his right and appeared to be encouraging his beloved junior, and while Izumi’s huffing after the chase, he appeared to be smiling slightly as he coated his brush with some sort of makeup too far to make out. The trio assumed it was eyeshadow. The trio then see Adonis next to Izumi, apparently holding onto Izumi’s makeup box. He doesn’t seem to be bothered that Izumi made him his (temporary) personal holder.

“It’s amazing how quick Sena-senpai is in getting back on his feet…Anyway, take a seat Hokuto.”

Mao motioned Hokuto and promptly placed the box onto the table, inside was different makeup products that neither Hokuto nor Makoto knew Mao had. In fact, they didn’t think Mao would be the type to even own makeup until they remembered Mao had a little sister and it slowly made sense.

Mao first began by applying some foundation onto Hokuto’s face, Makoto wondered if he specifically bought the foundation or if he borrowed it from his sister considering Hokuto was paler than Mao, but Makoto kept watching.

To Hokuto, the touch of Mao’s warm hands and the cold foundation on his skin was like magic slowly blending together into some….some odd contraptions. He wasn’t too sure how to describe it, perhaps like receiving a facial massage?

No, that’s a weird comparison. Regardless, Mao made sure to evenly apply the foundation before moving onto eyeshadow. He chose a pale red with the slightest of shimmer and began applying it onto Hokuto’s eyelids.

Up until now, it had been mostly silence. Whether it was because they didn’t want to disturb Mao or if they had nothing else to say, they weren’t too sure. Makoto decided to be the one to break the silence.

“I-I didn’t know you did makeup, Isara-kun.”

Mao briefly looked at Makoto, before facing Hokuto again, “Well, I know the basics at least. I can’t do those grandiose looks like in magazines. Speaking of magazines...did you have to wear a full face of makeup for photoshoots, Makoto?”

Makoto curiously looked at Mao, “Well...not really, but I’ve seen Izumi-san and Narukami-san do it for shoots. I was more of the ‘nude makeup’ type of model.”

It was at this point Hokuto finally spoke up, “I’ve read a few magazines that featured Yuuki, the makeup artist who did your makeup really brought out Yuuki’s natural look. It really did look like there was no makeup on."

Hearing Hokuto’s compliment, Makoto bashfully rubbed the back of his head, “Really? Hearing that from you makes me really happy, Hidaka-kun!”

“You read magazines, Hokuto? I didn’t know~ Oh, you can open your eyes now.”

“Only because my dad brings them home from work,” As Hokuto opened his eyes, Mao motioned Makoto to come closer and tells Hokuto to move his head from one side to the other.

To Hokuto, Mao and Makoto looked like two angels who had ascended from heaven and were attempting to wake his sleeping body. 

“How is it?”

“I think it looks nice, the shimmer makes the subtleness of the red pop.”

Satisfied with Makoto’s answer, Mao puts the palette and brush away and is in the process of selecting a good shade of lipstick to put on Hokuto’s lips. He eventually picks out a light pink lip gloss instead, and hands it to Makoto.

"Why don't you try putting it on him, Makoto?"

Makoto stared at Mao for a second and then quickly waved his hands, "E-eh? You want me to put it on him? I-I'm not sure if I'm good enough…" 

"Don't worry if you mess up Yuuki," Hokuto turned his head to face Makoto, "It can be touched up, and it'll be good practice in case we would need to do our own makeup in the future."

Makoto played with his fingers for a bit before taking the lip gloss from Mao, "I suppose it would…"

Mao shuffled a bit so Makoto could directly face Hokuto. He tells Hokuto to close his eyes (he wasn't sure if he could handle Hokuto staring at him as he worked), and places a hand on Hokuto's chin, prompting the latter to slightly raise his head.

Makoto watched as the extensions slowly fell into place, some going over Hokuto's shoulder, some going over the chair he was on and some resting neatly on his back. 

He quickly shook his head, and opened the gloss's cap. Carefully, he brought the brush towards Hokuto's lips and began doing short strokes across  
it.

"You don't have to do it that delicately~"

Mao called out, startling Makoto. His hand slipped and a bit of the gloss got on Hokuto's chin. Mao handed Makoto a wipe, somewhat anticipating this would happen.

"Ah...I didn't mean to startle you."

"N-no, it's not your fault Isara-kun. I was just a bit tense, that's all!"

Makoto wiped the excess gloss off Hokuto's chin and disposes of it in a nearby trash can. 

Mao takes the chance to hold Makoto's arm, "Here, I'll help you out then~"

"Alright then."

With Mao's support (or did he just want to hold Makoto?), Makoto's strokes went a lot smoother and he managed to apply a nice, even coat of gloss on Hokuto's lips.

"That should do it~ You can open your eyes now."

Hokuto opened his eyes, and he's faced with a hand mirror held by Makoto, "How is it, Hidaka-kun?"

"Mhmm, it looks great. Thank you, Yuuki."

Just as Makoto was about to say something, he felt something grab his shoulder. He glanced to Mao, who had his arms down and Hokuto was holding the hand mirror. He quietly squeaked in fright and slowly turned his head to his shoulder.

"My, my! Aren't you looking like quite the beauty, Hokuto-kun~"

Makoto immediately lets out a sigh of relief, it was only Wataru.

"Don't scare Yuuki," Hokuto gave Wataru a dismissive wave.

"Don't be so cold, Hokuto-kun~ I was merely complimenting you. Who did your makeup? It suits you quite well," Wataru leaned a bit closer towards Hokuto and Makoto couldn't help but admire Wataru's long locks, neatly braided and accented with small pearls. 

Mao raised his hand, grabbing Wataru's attention. Makoto vigorously nodded, and pointed at himself as if to say "me too".

"I see, you two did a fantastic job," Wataru applauded, "With a bit more practice, you might be able to create a masterpiece!"

"I hate to interject but we're idols, not makeup artists," Hokuto sighed and shook his head, "You can pretend he's thin air."

"Hokuto~kyun you tease!...Is what I'd like to say, but it's almost showtime. May everyone but the crew make your way to the audience now!"

Wataru clapped his hands, signaling everyone. The actors and stage crew began to gather around Wataru.

Makoto could see Izumi's worried expression as Mitsuru dashed towards Wataru, in fear that his effort would be in vain. Fortunately, Tomoya was next to Mitsuru, keeping him in check. Izumi's worried expression quickly shifted to relief, and then joy when he spotted Makoto. Before Izumi could run up towards him, Nazuna gently pushed him towards the exit, and Izumi's expression becomes disgruntled. Shu was a short distance behind, it looked like he had incorporated some of the rose petals previously thrown on him onto his doll. Adonis was with Anzu, and a certain pop of orange was noticeable by the curtain.

In the midst of his daydreaming (staring? gazing?), Mao had grabbed his hand, gently tugging at it.

"We should probably head back as well."

Makoto nodded, "Y-you're right! We'll be in the audience now," he turned to face Hokuto one last time, "Break a leg, Hidaka-kun!"

Mao waved at Hokuto, before he started walking ahead. 

As Makoto felt himself being dragged away, he saw Hokuto give them a firm nod, and a mesmerizing smile (or at least, that's what he thought.)

_Hidaka-kun really does looking charming today._

**Author's Note:**

> if you made it this far, thank you for reading!
> 
> and yes, the last bit with the 'pop of orange' is subaru. I wanted him to barge in at one point but I couldn't find a good place to fit him in ):
> 
> I guess the same could go for anzu, just imagine she was busy helping everyone out (;'•ω•`;) 
> 
> I also wanted to include Makoto falling flat bc he was too busy staring at hokuto but I also couldn't fit it
> 
> anyway my twitter is @trickystarnignt and please provide more trickstar content thx


End file.
